Apparatus for pouring molten materials.



C. W. LUMMIS.

APPARATUS FOR POURING MOLTEN MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED JAILQ, 1912. RENEWED JULY 5, 1913.

1,089,139 I Patented Mar. 3, 19 14.

3 SHEETS$HEET 1.

' :3 W q 7' J INVENTOR Aflarney G. W. LUMMIS. APPARATUS FOR POURING MOLTEN MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.%), 1912. RENEWED JULY 5, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES a ma Alz'omej C. W. IJUMMIS. APPARATUS FOR POURING MOLTEN MATERIALS. I APPLICATION FILED JAN.9, 1912. RENEWED JULY-5, 191s. 1 39' Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

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A INVENTOR Alwyn 2 11 more erars fr ars CHALK-LES WILLIAM. LUMMXS, 0F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

BSH ARELTUS FOR PGURING MOLTEN MATERIALS.

Application filed January 9, 133312., serial No. 670258.

Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improve-- ment in Apparatus for Pouring, Molten Materials, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide for pouring molten materials from a c0ntainer into a receiver at a definite or predetermined rate of pouring, so to conform. to the nature or condition of the material and secure homogeneity and a1 other de sired results or qualities in product. For example, the invention as applied to molten brass admits of pouring the hold from a crucible or other cont iner directly or indirectly into a mold or otner receiver at a definite rate of pouring, so as to insure a product free from pipes, flaws, dirt and other defects which would impair its homo gcneity, texture, ductility, malleability er workable quality in rolling or other manipulation.

To obtain the best results, it is necessary to have the molten material at practically a definite temperature, and to pour the material from the container at a de nite rate. The quantity of molten." material poured during every interval" i of time throughout the pouring operation must be controllable, and whether the raieof pouring be uniforn'i or variable, or a combination of the two. The rate at which the molten material enters the receiver should be fast enough to keep the top of the material rising in the receiver in a fluid condition, so as to permit the dirt, dress or slag to separate and 'llolt on the top; but it should not be so fast as to'trap dirt and gases within the mass, or interfere with properly taking care of shrinkage as the poured mass cools or sets. The characteristics of this rate of pouring vary in accordance with the temperature of the material being poured, its grade or composition, and the receptacle into which it is poured. Where these three conditions re main constant, or essentially so, a definite rate of pouring is practicable to give the best results in producing a product free from defects, but where any orall of these condi tions vary the rate. of pouring should be such as to accommodate such variation. In the past it has been customs y to rely upon the fipecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 191%.

Renewed July 5, 1913. Serial No. 77?,495.

experience and skill of a furnace-man or caster to pour the material at the proper rate, and any mistake on his part resulted in impertect or waste material; the imperfections ottcntimes being internal in the prod not and only discovered when the product was worked up. The present invention substatutes an automaton for a human being. so that by mechanical means the pouring rate may be automatically controlled to hbtain the requisite speed, whether uniform or variable, and insure a product free from essential defects.

-i Vbilc the invention originated in the making of brass, it is to be understood that it is applicable to other alloys, metals and plastics which are transformed by heat into a fluid condition and in this condition re duced to useful or workable shapes in molds or otherwise. From this it will appear also that the container from which the molten "iaterial is to be poured may be a crucible, ladle, melting pot, furnace, or other apparatus, and the material may be poured thence into the mold or other receiver, or in directly through a strainer or other inter mediate vessel or delivery device.

I will proceed new to describe the ,invention in connection with the manufacture of brass, retaining however the reservation just above noted as to the extension of the invention to other materials or substances, and obsr-a-ving that the apparatus shown and described as embodying the invention is typical, and hence susceptible of wide variation without departure from the principle of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings illustrat ing the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, l igure l is a top plan view of a bodily tiltable crucible furnace, showing one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section illustratingone form of crucible i'urnace available for the purioses of this invention. Fig. 3 is a side eevation omitting the mechanism for turning the tilting-restraining device and/showing the parts at rest in melting position, and Fig. l is a similar view showing the furnace in pouring position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the parts of Figs. 3 and 4 in position for lowering the furnace into melting position after pouring. Fig. 6 is an elevation oi a cain illustrating one form 0t is a roller 6.

restrainingdevice. Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing an air hoist for tilting the- 'trunnions arranged at its sides, but as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the trunnions 3 may be located substantially on a line with the pouring mouth or other discharging member or element, and mounted in stands 4,

-which are erected on a suitable support. At-

leastone of these trunnio'ns is fixed to turn with the furnace, and it is extended laterally and provided with an arm 5 on which By arranging the trunnions as shown at or near the pouringmouth, the receiver or mold may be of comparatively small dimensions and may remain stationary while beingfilled; whereas if the furnace is pivoted at the sides as usual, the receiver must be large or else moved to conform to the motion of the pouring spout. A shaft 7 .suita-bly mounted is arranged to receive and rotate a cam 8, adapted for cooperae tion with the roller 6 on-the arm 5. shaft 7 may be turned by any suitable mechanism, such for example as a toothed wheel 9 meshing directly or indirectly with the 'pinion'lO on any suitable motor 11; it being understood that the shaft 7 is turned at a definite speed, by any suitable power mechs amsm.

The furnace 1, may have any suitable ,cover, such as a counterweighted' cover 12, over the opening in which .is a counterweighted auxiliary cover 13, in accordance with approved practice. The furnace covers-herein shown may be made removable for pouring purposes, or I may use other covers of any suitable design adapted to be placed in position over thelfurnac and crucible during the melting of the chargeand capable of being replaced by covers suitable for pouring purposes when the pouring operation is being carried on.

The bottom of the furnace is provided with an arm 14 extending outwardly from the rear, and this arm has connected to it a rope or other lifting agent 15 passed over pulleys 16 to a counterweight 17. This sort of hoist may be operated in any usual way. But, as shown in Fig. 7, the hoist may be replaced by an air-cylinder 18, or other suitable power mechanism, of any usual or approved construction and capable of tilting the furnace on its trunnions for pouring purposes and restoring it again to horizontal position for melting purposes, the cam being used as the restraining medium, as pre- The r viously described. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 8, the arm 14 may be connected by' pivotally mounted at its sides instead of'at or near its pouring edge. During the melt-;

ing operation, the cam 8 is in such engagement with the roller 6 that the furnace may be held stationary, but when power is applied to the shaft 7 at the time when the charge is ready for pouring, the cam is turned upwardly so asto release the roller sufiiciently to allow the counterweight. 17 to act to tiltthe furnace upon its trunnions 3, but the rate of tiltingis controlled by the cam, and the cam is given a configuration that will regulate the pouring-in accordance with the predetermined rateat which the molten material is to be' or should be poured'in order to get the best results. Or in other words, the pouring motion of the container is so regulated that the container is tilted, in each interval of time, through the angle which is necessary in order to pour out the desired quantity of molten material in each interval in accordance with the predetermined plan.

In practical operation, when the grade of material to be poured and the receptacle into which it is pouredare kept the same, the temperature of the molten material is brought to a definite point which can. be

determined by pyrometers or other means of measuring temperatures, and'the cam designed to suit these conditions is used to regulate the pouring When the grade of material, the receptacle, or both are changed, the temperature of the molten material is brought to a pointbest suited to meet these particular, conditions, and a cam designed to regulate the pouring so as to produce the best results with the changed conditions is substituted. This cam is used as long as the other conditions'remain constant. After. the pouring is completed,'the furnace may be returned to melting position by hoisting the counterweight 17 by any suitable tackle 24, for example, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and appropriately returning the cam, the cam remaining stationary in its final pouring position until after the furnace has been returned to melting position, said cam being then turned into position to bear upon the roller on the arm on the trunnion. The air or power hoist 18 The arrangement shown 1n Fig. 8 also illustrates the use of a furnace of course is used both to and this is true likewise ment shown in ltig. 8. I

The cam or restraining-device is shown in Figs. 1, El, l, and 7 as fixed directly ,to its-o 'icrating; shaft, but if desired it may be mounted upon a holding device 25, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7, and said holding device may be in the form of a circular plate to which the cam is suitably secured.

Zeii'erring to Fig. (3, which illustrates a cam of a contour that will. give the desired pouring action-in casting brass, that face oi": the cam from the points 26 to 28 or thereabout will hold, in connection with the roller arm, the furnace stationary, and from 28 to 29' will start the active pouring. and from to 30 will control the pouring action to completion, in conformity with best hand "actice, but with the advantage that the pouring action is not exposed to undue and undesirable variations such as be'lall a human agent by diversion of his attention, unsteadiness, miss 'ep or other accident.

The furnace may be heated in any suitable way, and. l. hare shown in Fig. 1, at El, an oil burner of the atomizer type as, the n'iedium for supplying the necessaryl melting heat.

is already suliicicntly indicated, the pourine may be directly into molds or other re 1 ceivers, or the material. may be poured in the first instance into an intermediate vc sel and flow thence into the molds.

The invention may be carried out with a l ladle or other container removable from the melting furnace itself, and in such case the container would be mounted in. a holder equipped with the pouring-controlling mechtilt and return,l of the mangovlt is to be understood that the principle of the invention herein explained is suscep tible of many other variations than those set forth; and itis to be noted that the invention, di'tl'ers fundi'imentally, in the use and function of its cam or restraining device, from those prior inventiiims in which the metal has been poured from the vessel in which it is melted without removing the vessel from the furnace, by bodily tilting; the furnace containinp; the vessel by mechanical means under human operation. In my invention l human agency with its limitations elimil nated during the pouring operation. The grist of the invention, irrespective of l the means employed, lies in the sul 'tution l for the human element in pouring: o! an automatic mechanical element, with the resulting uniformity of operation.

1. An app -"atus for pouring molten inaterials, comprising a container For the me]: an material, means to support said conainer so that it may be tilted, and means to impart a definite rate of tilting movement to said container so that the quantity of molten material poured from said container in each interval of time during the pouring operation is automatically controlled in accordance with a predetermined plan.

2. An apparatus for pouring molten materials, having a container for the molten material, means to support said container so that it may be tilted, and means to tilt said container including a member operating to automatically control the angleof movement of the container during each interval of time throughout the pouring operation and thereby control the quantity of material so poured in accordance with any predetermined plan.

3. An apparatus for pouring molten materials, having a container for the molten material, means to support. said container so that it may be tilted, and means to tilt said container including a member operating to autonnitically control the angle of movement of the container during each interval of time throughout the pouring operation and thereby control the quantity of material so poured in accordance with any predetermined plan, said controlling member capable oi change to produce the desired predeterinincd rate of pouring.

4. An apparatus for pouring molt-en materials, comprising a container for the molten material, means to support said container so that it may be tilted, and means to tilt said. container through a predetermined. angle in each interval of the time in which the tilting takes place and thereby pour out the contents at a predetermined variable rate.

An apparatus for pouring molten materials, comprising a container for themol ten, material, means to support'said container that it may be tilted, means tending to tilt said container, and a restraining member to automatically limit the angle through which the ctintainer is tilted during each llllOlViil of the time in which the tilting movement takes place, and thereb cause the contents to be poured from the cm tainer at a predetermined rate.

(3. In apparatus for pouring molten materials, the combination of acontainer for the molten material, means to tilt said container, a cam and means interposed between the cam and the container to regulate the tilting movement of the container, said cam having its active contour developed to secure a wedetermined rate of pouring of the contents of the container throughout the operation of pouring.

7. In apparatus for pouring molten materials, the combination of a container, a-

fixed support for said container, means to tilt the container in its support, an arm connected with the container, and an independcut cam cooperating with said arm to auto-- matically vary the tilting movement and secure a predetermined definite rate of pouring throughout the pouring operation.

8. In apparatus for pouring molten materials, the combination of a tilting container for the molten material, a cam having an active contour described on lines to secure a predetermined rate of pouring action, and means connected with the container and interposed between it and the cam and 'coiiperating with both to efiect a predetermined rate of pouring action and thereby control the quantity of molten material poured during every interval of time throughout the pouring operation, so as to insure the desired homogeneity of product.

9. An apparatus for pouring molten materials, comprising a tilting container for the molten material, an arm connected with the container, and a cam cooperating with said arm to regulate the tilting movement in accordance with a predetermined;j'variable rate of pouring so as to control the quantity of molten material poured during every interval of time throughout the pouring operation,

10. An apparatus for pouring molten materials, comprising a tilting furnace having trunnions, a roller arm fixed to one of the trunnions so as to turn with the furnace, and a rotary cam mounted in coiiperative juxtaposition to the roller arm and of a 0011- tour to insure a predetermined rate of pouring.

11. An apparatus for pouring molten materials, comprising a container for the molten material, means for tilting the container to pour out its contents, and a restraining medium including a member turning upon a fulcrum in fixed relation to the container and a rotary cam arranged in cooperative relation to said fulcrumed member and of a contour to give a definite predetermined rate of pouring as the container is tilted.

12. An apparatus for pouring molten materials, comprising a container for the molten material provided with trunnions arranged adjacent to its point of discharge, a support in which said trunnions are mounted to permit the container to be tilted, a roller arm turning with the container as it is tilted, and a rotary cam cooperating with the roller arm to control the tilting move ment of the container in accordance with a predetermined rate of pouring, so thatin the case of casting molten metals the pouring may be regulated to insure the proper filling of the molds.

13. In an apparatus for pouring molten materials, a container for the molten material, means to support said container so itmay be tilted, a piston equipped compressed air cylinder operatively connected with said con- 'tainer to impart a tilting motion thereto,

and means for controlling the angle of movement of said container during each interval of time throughout the pouring operation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of January A. D.

1912. CHARLES WILLIAiVI LUMMIS.

Vitnesses CLARA L. DODGE, ANNA M. -Moonn. 

